Agent: Packers didn't ask Woodson about pay cut

Feb. 15, 2013

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Green Bay Packers' Charles Woodson breaks up a pass intended for San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis during the NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 12 in San Francisco. File/Gannett Wisconsin Media

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The agent for Charles Woodson said that as far as he knows, the Packers didn’t discuss reducing Charles Woodson’s contract before deciding to release him today.

Carl Poston, Woodson’s agent, said that based on his telephone conversation with Woodson today, the Packers called Woodson to their offices to inform him of their decision. Woodson was going to make $10 million in salary and bonuses this year.

“I know there’s a salary-cap issue because of the kind of money he was going to make this year,” Poston told the Press-Gazette “But I don’t know that they even – they didn’t talk to me at all, they just talked to Charles. Charles didn’t bring (a pay cut) up, so I have to think they didn’t mention it. I think they just felt they needed to go in a different direction.”

Poston said his understanding is that general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy met with Woodson to deliver the news.

“They met this morning,” Poston said, “talked face to face, it was a brief meeting. He said they thanked him for everything he brought to the table, they said, ‘Charles, you’re one of the greatest to ever play the game and we wanted to thank you for everything.’ He thanked them for the opportunity. I guess they kind of hugged and ‘farewell.’”

Poston also said that the 36-year-old Woodson was not upset at Thompson and McCarthy for their decision.

“Oh no, he just looked at it as a part of business,” Poston said. “I asked him, I said ‘How do you feel?’ He said, ‘I’m fine. I’m just going to sit back and spend some time with my wife and kids. I’m good.’ I was a little worried, because when we did the (contract) extension (in 2010), the whole idea behind the extension was he was going to retire a Packer and hopefully go into the (Pro Football) Hall of Fame as a Packer. That’s not to say he won’t, but I just thought that was the clear path and he’d retire a Packer.”

Poston said Woodson definitely intends on playing this season.

"He told me, 'Carl, I’ve got the bug,'" Poston said. "I want to win another Super Bowl. I was hoping it was going to be with Green Bay, I thought I was going to retire a Packer. But it takes two to dance, and if they don’t want to dance I have to find somebody else to do it.'"